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At the back of the race, Cavendish and the Astana riders have some company now as Fabio Jakobsen and his DSM teammate Bram Welten, plus Jonas Rickaert of Alpecin-Deceuninck, drop back. That suggests he's not suffering uniquely, and should help him survive the day.
We've had a first crash on the road today, as Wilco Kelderman hits the deck. The TV cameras didn't capture the incident, but he's just been shown now rejoining the peloton, with some bandaging on his left elbow.
Izagirre launches a sprint towards the top of the summit, and takes maximum points again. Abrahamsen is on his wheel for second, and looks annoyed at the Basque, but it's hard to tell why - he didn't appear to do anything wrong.
110KM TO GO
Pogačar is down a teammate, as Nils Politt is dropped. He has more than enough protection to keep him safe today - in fact, soon we’ll be wondering if and when they will apply pressure at the front of the peloton for a potential attack.
More sprinters going out the back now, including Arnaud Demare and Jasper Philipsen. Philipsen may believe it's job done for the day having earned those intermediate sprint points.
Mechanical for Dorian Godon, who'll need to chase back on on this climb.
More damage in the break, with Champoussin the latest to be dropped.
Steve Williams is making his way back into the peloton having fallen back with a mechanical.
Dylan Groenewegen is the latest sprinter to be dropped out of the peloton, on the current climb. He'll be saving himself for stage three, likely to be the first bunch sprint of the Tour.
Dujardin has been dropped from the lead group on this climb, having claimed maximum points at the sprint.
Three other riders also competed in the sprint - Biniam Girmay, Bryan Coquard and Sam Bennett. It's especially interesting to see Bennett give it a go, given his struggle for form in recent years - he clearly believes he will be stronger this Tour.
Philipsen and Pedersen were the top two from last year's points classification, and look set to do battle once again this year.
Lidl-Trek lead out the peloton for the remaining points available in the intermediate sprint, for Mads Pedersen. Pedersen was edged to the line by defending Philipsen, though.
Having done that sprint, the break are back climbing again, this time the category three Cote de Carnaio (10.1km at 4.7%).
Abrahamsen and Dujardin both sprinted for it, with the latter coming out on top. The real interest will come in a few minutes, when we see which sprinters are interested in the points classification.
120KM TO GO
Cavendish and his Astana teammates reach the top of the climb, 5 minutes after the peloton. 2 climbs down, 5 to go.
There's now about 4-30 between the peloton and Cavendish. The gap is still growing, but not exponentially, so he's not capitulating yet.
The break reaches the top, and the same riders sprint for it. Izagirre wants again claimed maimum points, ahead of Abrahamsen and then Madouas.
The break is at last done descending, and on the second climb now, Côte des Forche. It's much shorter than the previous one, lasting only 2.5km, but relatively steep with an average of 6.7%.
130KM TO GO
Michael Mørkøv, Cees Bol, Davide Ballerini and Michele Gazzoli are the four riders with Cavendish. There present as much for emotional support as physical support.
EF's work is bad news for Cavendish, though, who is now over three and a half minutes adrift. He faces one of the fights of his life to make the time limit.
140KM TO GO
Vercher has been brought back by the peloton.
Cavendish has just been sick again on the descent. He's not making any inroads, three minutes adrift from the peloton.
Cavendish is visibly unwell. He vomited on the bike near the top of his summit. He’ll be relieved to be descending again, but desperately needs to recover fast with so many more climbs to come. For now, he looks in a world of pain.
150KM TO GO
He has four teammates with him trying to encourage him, but is shaking his head and looking bad. He'll need to find reserves of strength from somewhere or else his Tour is in peril.
Every time the camera goes back to Cavendish, he' having water poured over him. He's looking very uncomfortable.
The peloton now reach the top of the climb. EF's work has been enough to bring the gap back down from six minutes to five minutes already.
Three and a half minutes after the leaders, Vercher crests the climb. It seems there's no way he's making it back into that group.
More sprinters now being dropped out the peloton - Fabio Jakobsen and, more surprisingly, Fernando Gaviria.
Izagirre took maximum points, from Madouas and Abrahamsen. It wasn't an all-out sprint, but they've still shown intent.
The break reach the top of the first climb, and there's a tussle for the KOM points...
They're working for Alberto Bettiol, the recently-crowned Italian champion. What a story it would be for him to win on home roads in the tricolore.
With the gap having grown to over six minutes, EF Education-EasyPost are the first team to take matters into their own hands and lead the peloton.
Cavendish has his teammates around him, but he's 25 seconds off the peloton.
Mark Cavendish has been dropped out the peloton, and is struggling. The way he is dousing himself in water suggests he might be struggling in the heat.
Now that he's made it into the break at last, Abrahamsen needs keeping an eye on. The Norwegian rider was a livewire last year, attacking multiple times, and has since proven himself a breakaway specialist.
160KM TO GO
The third standout name is Valentin Madouas, back in Groupama-FDJ colours having just lost his French national champion title. Unlike the other two, he hasn’t before won a Tour stage, though has come close with a second place finish in 2022. He was eager to get into the break at the start of the day, and will want to make the most of it having succeeded.
The rider in the break with the best climbing credentials is Ion Izagirre. He’s not had the form to be considered a threat on GC, hence being allowed up the road, but should still fancy his chances of dropping the rest of the break come the later climbs.
So who are the riders in the break? The headline name is Matej Mohorič, who last year added a third career Tour stage win to his palmares. This kind of terrain suits him, though you might have expected him to hold back until later in the Tour, when breaks are more likely to succeed, to try his hand at a breakaway.
The pace is really off in the peloton now, allowing the gap to grow to 4-40. Someone in the peloton will have to take control eventually, if they are to bring this break back and contest for the stage, and the race's first yellow jersey.
TotalEnergies representative Vercher is being dropped from the break on the climb. The problem for riders from the wildcard teams like them on a day as tough as today is that, even if they succeed in making the break, staying in it is no guarantee.
Gibbons and Abrahamsen have made the juncture, meaning the lead group is now made up of nine riders.
The break is climbing for the first time today, taking on the first of seven hills. It’s almost all either uphill or downhill until now and the finish in Rimini.
First sighting of the world champion Mathieu van der Poel, but it's out the back of the peloton. He's needing someone to fix his radio.
170KM TO GO
Vingegaard is back safely in the peloton.
Abrahamson has Ryan Gibbons on his wheel, and the peloton seems happy to let them go clear.
Bike change for Jonas Vingegaard in the peloton - as a result of a mechanical, not a crash.
Uno-X Mobility aren't done yet though - now Abrahamsen tries to get up the road.
The work from Lidl-Trek has brought back the Uno-X Mobility duo.
Lidl-Trek riders are now pulling in the peloton. That's an early signal of intent - do they fancy Mads Pedersen to manage to get over the climbs today?
Big crowds at the roadside as the riders pass through Dicomano. The Italians have turned out in numbers to greet the Tour.
Rasmus Tiller and Odd Christian Eiking are the two Uno-X riders. They're 15 seconds ahead of the peloton, but still 1-20 behind the seven leaders.
180KM TO GO
Instead, they've fired two riders up the road in a counter-attack.
They're not committing to leading the peloton, either. The pace is off again.
Cort's brought back, and now one of his Uno-X teammates ups the pace in the peloton. It's clear the team are unhappy about missing the break, but they seem in mixed minds as to what to do next.
Magnus Cort jumped out of the peloton, but already seemed to have given up the ghost.
52 seconds now between the peloton and the seven leaders. If anyone wants to bridge, they're going to have to go now.
There were some riders trying to bridge up to them, Gianni Vermeersch and Jonas Abrahamsen but they’ve been brought back.
The group in full:
It's a strong group, too. Mohorič, Ion Izagirre and Valentin Madouas are all present.
47 seconds for this 7-man group - this certainly seems like the day's break.
The pace has slowed in the peloton - this might be the break of the day.
Wout van Aert has his hand up at the back of the peloton. He's taking things easy for now, but could be a contender for the stage later depending on how well recovered he is from his injury.
190KM TO GO
It seems not - a flurry of counter-attacks from the peloton has seen everything come back together again.
García Pierna now has seven riders with him at the front, and a handful of seconds on the peloton. Could this be the break?
Raúl García Pierna has managed to escape and is out in front alone, with a small group behind him chasing.
Everything is back together again in the peloton.
Jan Hirt is at the back of the peloton, and already suffering. What an unfortunate start to the Tour for him.
DSM is the best-represented team in the current leading group, with two riders.
They’re brought back, and a new group of five try their luck, with a Groupama-FDJ rider involved again.
A new group now trying to clear, featuring Paul Lapeira, now very conspicuous in his tricolore jersey as newly crowned French national champion.
That move has been brought back.
A group of about ten now has the biggest gap we've seen so far, but even that is only a few seconds.
Even fortmer podium finisher Romain Bardet is getting involved in the attacks! This is far from the usual suspects of wildcard teams and small names trying to get into the break.
Stefan Küng is also being lively at the front. Groupama-FDJ seem eager to get into the break today, and have their strongest men utilised.
After a pause of a few moments, the attacks begin, led by Groupama-FDJ's Valentin Madouas.
205KM TO GO
A terrible start to the Tour for Jan Hirt, even before the unofficial start. The Czech rider crashed on his way back to the team bus after signing on, breaking three of his teeth. Soudal-QuickStep team will need him to recover, as he’s set to be a key domestique in the mountains for Remco Evenepoel.
Now just 4km until the official start. Sometimes earlier Grand Tour stages can be characterised by how little riders want to get into the break, but the amount of climbing on the menu today, and the prospect of everything from a Polka-dot jersey and fame on such a big occasion, should mean there’s action once the flag drops soon.
Still 10km left of the neutralised zone. The Tour de France is making the most of this unique Grand Départ.
Although there are no climbs ranked higher than category two today, there are a lot of them — seven in total, amounting to 3,600m elevation gain in total. It’s been described as one of the hardest starts to a Tour de France, and one that even many puncheurs will find too hard.
Mark Cavendish is in good spirits, waving to the crowd as the peloton sets off from the unofficial start. He’s here riding the fifteenth Tour of his career, and is, as has been much discussed, chasing the record-breaking 35th win.
The riders have just set off from the neutralised zone - the Tour is to begin soon! Not just yet, though, as they will spend longer than usual in the zone than usual as they savour the sights of Florence.
Follow our Instagram for on-the-ground updates in Florence and Rimini on our stories:
Make sure to check out CN's mega Grand Départ tech gallery, as shot and put together by our associate editor Josh Croxton, who is on the ground in Italy for the opening 3 stages:
Huge reception for World Champion Mathieu van der Poel as he brings the rainbow bands to the Tour de France.
Just 30 minutes until the départ fictif now in Florence. Reminder that it is absolute scorcher today in Tuscany so temperature regulation will be incredibly important.
Here's Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) arriving at the start of stage 1 on his 16th and final Tour de France.
Make sure to catch up with this great read on the importance of the Italian Grand Départ, which honours the hometowns and training roads of Italian greats Gino Bartali, Marco Pantani and Fausto Coppi:
Wonderful reception for fan-favourite Mark Cavendish on stage in Florence, a place dear to his heart. He's here in search of stage win 35.
Reminder that although it is a punchy day, Mathieu van der Poel doesn't see it was an option for himself of Jasper Philipsen:
Big crowds welcome the first team on stage, TotalEnergies.
Teams have arrived in Florence and are gearing up for sign-on and the team presentation. Here's Visma-Lease a Bike and defending champion Jonas Vingegaard setting off from their team hotel this morning.
To get things started, make sure to read our preview of stage 1, written by one of CN's team on the ground at the Grand Départ, Dani Ostanek:
It's back, finally! The biggest bike race in the world is about to start and we're getting the build-up started an hour and a half before the riders set off from the neutralised start in beautiful Florence.
Bonjour and welcome to Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 1 of the 111th 2024 Tour de France!